


Once Again

by tbiris



Series: Two is Better than One [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Comfort Reading, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Triplets didn't take the video, Vicchan Is Alive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-09-03 05:03:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8698105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tbiris/pseuds/tbiris
Summary: Yuuri retired after a particularly disastrous performance at the Grand Prix Finals at Sochi. He meets up with some of his old competitors and friends at the Four Continents Championships to cheer them on, not knowing they have a plan to get him back to the ice.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for Yuuri's birthday! Unfortunately, given the climate in the area it couldn't actually take place DURING Yuuri's birthday, but I tried to sneak it in there anyways.
> 
> In this, Vicchan is alive (just because), and the triplets never took the video.
> 
> This was beta'ed by the wonderful [Resmiranda](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Resmiranda/pseuds/Resmiranda) who is seriously the best <3

 It felt strange visiting Canada outside of the skating season. Yuuri visited before, but always during Skate Canada. This time, he was visiting old friends. Vicchan tugged impatiently at his leash. Yuuri laughed and let him lead them along the pathway. He had an idle curiosity about the longest outdoor skating rink, which only pushed his family to get him to go further.   
   
It was JJ that sent him the invite initially, almost right when he retired. He insisted that Yuuri should come to watch the Four Continents and take part in the festival while he was here. He certainly never expected it to be this crowded, although the paths along it were practically empty. Vicchan started to get impatient again as he stared at another cluster of food huts, one where they were rolling something on the snow. Perhaps he would rent a set of skates or something and try it later. He might also just wait and walk down, there were a few people that were in boots. Odd for a skating rink.   
   
“VICCHAN!” Yuuri called as the leash slipped out of his hand. He broke into a run, promptly wishing that he had stayed more in shape after retiring after that dismal season. The worst part was he didn’t really know why he panicked. Then it was just a steady trip downwards. He really wasn’t made to compete, he was fine with just enjoying figure skating for fun in his own time.   
   
At least that’s what he had been telling himself, but watching all these people skating on this huge expanse of ice made him wonder. He still hadn’t even reached the end while he was chasing Vicchan. He let out a huff while Vicchan danced around another, larger poodle. A poodle that looked at him and lurched forward.   
   
The next thing Yuuri knew, he was facing the sky and something very heavy was on top of him. He laughed as the dog licked his face and Vicchan joined him in slathering him.   
“Okay,” he laughed. “Off, off.”   
“I’m so sorry!” Part of the weight lifted off of him. “Makkachin is normally more well behaved.”   
“No, no, it was my dog that got away from me first.”   
The weight lifted off of him and picked up the larger dog. Yuuri’s voice caught in his throat. It was Victor. He hadn’t seen him for so long now. It felt strange to be talking to him so casually.   
“So this one’s name is Vicchan?” Victor smiled and offered a hand to him to sniff. Vicchan went all out and stood on the hand instead to reach Victor’s face.   
   
Yuuri felt so horrified on behalf of his dog.   
“S-s-sorry!”   
“It’s no trouble!” Victor patted Vicchan’s head before standing up and holding the leash out to Yuuri. “Were you walking down the canal?”   
“Y-y-yes.”   
Victor grinned. “Perfect! Do you know where—”   
Yuuri waved his hands in front of his face. “Nonono, I’m not a local or anything. It’s my first time here, well it’s my first time…” he trailed off at Victor’s disappointed face.   
“I wanted to try some of the food here… I thought I might be able to finally try poutine…”   
“Ah… there are food huts all along…”   
“But where are the best ones?” Victor sighed dramatically. “Ah well, I’ll just continue my explorations then! It was nice meeting you.” He winked and kneeled down to give Vicchan one last pat before walking away.   
   
Yuuri just stared at his back, not moving until Vicchan whined.   
“That just happened, right Vicchan?” he whispered. “Did we just meet Victor…?” It felt far more casual than he imagined. It hurt more than he thought too. They had once skated on the same ice, and this was likely Victor’s last competitive year. It seemed like they were bound to always meet, and then separate. Yuuri felt like he was always a shadow, and it hurt more than he thought. He wiped away a few stray tears that started falling.   
   
“We should finish your walk! Then we have the dinner later tonight!” Yuuri forced himself to look up. He would be able to see Phichit again, that alone would be worth it. At least he hoped so. He stared at the ice again as Vicchan paused to mark another tree. He really did miss it, being on the ice instead of in the crowd.   
   
Thankfully the rest of the walk was relatively uneventful. Vicchan seemed to notice his down mood and kept much closer to him, even when they arrived back at the hotel. Yuuri smiled and continued to pet Vicchan in his lap while he checked instagram. He smiled at a few of the pictures his past competitors had posted from behind the scenes. He felt an odd redness come across his face when he saw Victor had posted a picture with Makkachin mentioning him. Not by name, but as a part of his journey today. A smile crept across his face at the picture of the poutine.   
   
To think he had two chances to face Victor, and each time he felt so far away. It was unlikely they would ever cross paths anymore. Actually… Yuuri stared at the picture and scrolled down. Why was Victor here? The Four Continents competition didn’t include Russia, which participated in the European championships. He was distracted by this train of thought when his phone rang.   
   
“Yuuri!”   
Yuuri grinned. “Phichit! I was just looking at your photos.”   
“I know! Are you still downtown?”   
“Mmm. I’m in the hotel with Vicchan right now.”   
“Great! Come skate with us!”   
“What?!” Yuuri almost flipped off his chair.   
“We’re going to skate down for dinner,” Phichit clarified. He heard a question in the background, with JJ’s voice answering. “Supposedly there’s a nice place at Dow’s Lake, but it’s at the other end of the canal… Our skates are done though so we don’t need to save any energy!”   
Yuuri bit the inside of his cheek. It sounded good. Almost too good.   
“They rent skates here, right?”   
“Yuuri,” Phichit scolded. “You didn’t bring your skates?”   
Yuuri’s face got warm. He hadn’t planned on any long skates. He hadn’t even decided if he wanted to skate yet. Phichit’s face disappeared again before reappearing.   
“JJ will ask someone to lend you a set. Just be sure to clean them properly!”   
Yuuri opened his mouth to protest, but Phichit just kept talking.   
“I’ll see you in thirty by the beavertails near the ice sculptures okay? You’ve seen those right?”   
“Mmm.” He nodded. “They were really good.”   
“Okay! Maybe we’ll look at them later together! Ah – Celest—yes it’s Yuuri. Mmm… can we talk about that later? I need to go, Yuuri.”   
“Okay,” Yuuri laughed. “Thirty minutes. I’ll be there.”   
   
He felt much happier after having talked to Phichit. He looked down at Vicchan. “You’ll be good right?”   
Vicchan barked happily. Yuuri had just enough time to shower and change for a long skate - rather than a long walk. Even then, he had to go at a light jog (and ask for directions twice. How could he know those stairs went to the park?) to get there on time.   
   
   
“Yuuri!” Phichit waved madly. Yuuri couldn’t help but laugh, of course Phichit was in the line at Beavertails, before they even began.   
“What do you want?” He nudged him. “My treat.”   
“Ah, I can’t!” Yuuri felt his face turn red. “You already paid for me to come out here…”   
“Eh?” JJ slung an arm around his shoulders. “What’s this?”   
Phichit grinned. “I sent Yuuri the tickets for his birthday.”   
“My parents sprung for the hotel,” Yuuri murmured. He remembered protesting it, but they had insisted since he had started helping at the onsen. He had a feeling that Minako had something to do with it as well.   
   
   
“Really? When?”   
“November!” Phichit winked. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to say no~”   
Yuuri really couldn’t say anything to that. If anything, it only made him ache more to skate. “Where are the others?” He opted to change the subject.   
“Changing into their skates.” JJ held out a pair for Yuuri. “Phichit said these should fit you. What do you want?”   
“Hey! I asked him first!”   
JJ grinned and tilted his head towards one of the temporary buildings. “The benches free up quicker though if you don’t mind your feet getting cold.”   
Yuuri smiled gratefully and walked carefully over the ice towards a bench. It was closer, so it was less likely for him to fall and embarrass himself even more.   
   
It was the first time in a long time now that he would be skating out in the light. He couldn’t keep himself off the ice, and thankfully Yuuko was willing to let him skate at night. He only had to teach the few young people how to skate on weekends in exchange. The moment his blades hit the ice it felt strange. Part of it was due to the change of skates, he was certain. But, there was just something different about the atmosphere too.   
   
He laughed when he saw Phichit and JJ arguing at the counter while he turned a few times around the ice. He would have to watch out for bumps. That was something he wasn’t used to. The rink ice was always pristine, but here it was pitted, and the area that JJ and Phichit were in sunk into a trench.   
   
JJ seemed far more capable of getting them out, catching Phichit twice while laughing.   
“They’re having fun.”   
Yuuri turned to see Leo and Guang Hong approaching him, just as carefully as he had skated before.   
“This is so weird,” Guang Hong stared at the ice. “How do people do this?”   
“Practice!” JJ cheered, handing the two of them some pastry.   
Phichit grinned and handed Yuuri a hot chocolate with a wink. “You need _something_ to sustain you.”   
“He’s hiding another beavertail under his,” JJ informed him.   
Leo squinted at it. “Are these really—”   
“Just try it before it gets cold!”   
They grumbled slightly before taking a bite, while Yuuri took a sip of the hot chocolate and winced. It was a bit too hot for him.   
   
“We can stop for taffy on the way too.”   
“Taffeh?” Guang Hong mumbled around his beavertail. Yuuri smiled slightly. They really must have been good if they were all half done now. He turned to look back at Phichit when he was nudged. A pastry was held under his nose. He wanted to refuse, but there were only so many times he could turn down Phichit’s begging face, and he felt like he’d want to save up some of them for later. He sighed and accepted it. “We are going to work these off, right?”   
JJ laughed. “I hope so, otherwise we’ll miss the reservation.”   
“Are the others there already?” Leo asked.   
JJ shrugged. “I think they went to do other tourist things... Seung-gil just shut the door in our faces.”   
“Oh.” Yuuri spoke up. “I saw Victor today too. Was he watching the Four Continents too?”   
Everyone turned to stare at him. He smiled sheepishly. They started glancing at Phichit, who was looking only more baffled and evasive.   
“Ah, well… maybe. One last look at the competition for the Worlds? Hey! Let’s get going! You can skate slowly and eat too!” He blathered.   
   
That was… strange even for Phichit. But Yuuri could only do so much multitasking. He was grateful that JJ took some pity on him and at least held the hot chocolate while they skated. JJ would sprint ahead and then backwards for a while, prompting the younger skaters to try and chase him. Phichit kept close to Yuuri while calling out encouragements.   
   
Then when he finished eating and they found a garbage can, they started to race in earnest. Yuuri hadn’t realised just how good the ice could get. It was almost frightening how much speed they could pick up, compared to in the rink. In fact, he even saw some speed skaters zooming down the length.   
“It’s liberating, isn’t it?” JJ grinned at him. “I love coming here now and then.” He threw his arms wide and glided for a while before he started to pick up speed again. Yuuri grinned and closed his arms and did the same thing.   
   
It was different here than in the rink. He felt oddly free from the weight that had chained him, from his failures. The wind blew through his hair, and he was endlessly grateful for his earmuffs. He couldn’t get this on the rink, or if he had walked with them. When he opened his eyes, they all had a strange smile on their faces.   
“Was that weird?” he mumbled and buried his face in the scarf.   
“It was beautiful,” Guang Hong spoke up. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you skate like that.”   
Yuuri felt his face grow redder.   
JJ winked. “You know what would make it better?”   
Phichit looked panicked and was reaching over to JJ, who kept dancing out of his reach. Music began to blare out over the ice from JJ’s pocket.   
   
Yuuri laughed. “You brought a speaker?” He wasn’t too surprised either.   
JJ nodded. “There’s a closed off rink at the lake.” He winked. “I thought we could have some fun there.”   
“Isn’t that what the exhibition’s for?” Yuuri laughed. They all went quiet and he wondered just what he had said.   
“Yuuri,” Phichit whined. “It’s been so long since we skated together… _please?_ ”   
Yuuri closed his eyes. Damn, this was a trap to get him to compete again wasn’t it? He sighed and tried to smile. “I still skate… just not…”   
“Not competitively,” Leo finished. They continued forward in silence, minus the music booming from JJ’s pocket.   
“The nerves get to me,” he admitted. “I can’t in front of that many people, all of them watching me.”   
“What if it was just one person?” Guang Hong asked.   
“ _Guang Hong._ ” Phichit called.   
“Is that what this is about? Why you want me to come?” Yuuri slowed down.   
Phichit shook his head. “No! I want to skate with you! I missed you this year… Come on, you don’t have to if you don’t want to… Just… dance with me there?”   
Yuuri gave a small smile and started to match Phichit’s pace. “Okay…”   
He missed the relieved look Phichit gave JJ and the small wink the other gave as he flipped songs.   
   
Leo burst out laughing. “You think that’ll help him get in the mood?”   
Yuuri turned bright red. That was the song he had flubbed last year at the Grand Prix Finals.   
“Well, he beat the crap out of me last year with it.” JJ grinned. “Maybe I just want to see if you can do it again.”   
Yuuri felt an odd stirring, and it was only at JJ’s look of satisfaction that he realised he was smiling at the challenge.   
“This is a good warm up too,” Leo sighed.   
“Tiring though,” Phichit complained. “ _JJ._ ”   
“Yeah, fine let’s break for taffy. We’re about halfway.”   
Yuuri didn’t realise that he was actually in better shape than he thought. He had a light sweat, but the others looked like they were tired. Although, he reminded himself, they also did their free programs today while all he had to do was chase after his dog.   
   
He jolted when Leo stuck out a popsicle stick for him and grinned. “JJ said that it is ‘his civic duty’ to introduce us to part of his culture. I didn’t think Montréal had maple trees though.”   
“They don,” JJ spoke around two popsicle sticks in his mouth. “But they have a lot in Québec.”   
Yuuri smiled and licked the popsicle. It was oddly sweet, but had a hint of something to it. It reminded him a little of honey, where the flavour could switch depending on the flowers.   
“Maybe I should buy some to take home.”   
JJ slung an arm around his shoulders. “Did you bring anything from Japan with you? I’ll trade,” he grinned.    
   
Phichit saved him from stammering too much by dragging JJ away. Yuuri watched the faint smile on his friend’s face and wondered if something was going on there.    
   
“They hit it off in China,” Leo supplied.    
Yuuri nodded absentmindedly. “That’s good.” It was nice to see someone else working well with Phichit. He smiled slightly.    
“Are you lonely?” Guang Hong asked.    
“Eh?” Yuuri blinked.    
“You just looked lonely. Don’t worry about it. We have MMMMph~” Guang Hong’s mouth was suddenly occupied by a cup of hot chocolate.    
Yuuri laughed and smiled while Leo and Guang Hong argued. He was fairly certain they were arguing about whatever it was they were all trying to gear him up for. Yuuri smiled around his popsicle stick. It was nice to know that they were all so concerned about him. Perhaps he would pretend to play along. He didn’t have anything to lose, and it didn’t seem like anyone recognised them all out here. It would be nice to just have some fun.    
   
The bantering continued between them all until they hit the lake, with Yuuri throwing in his own comments more the further along they got. JJ stretched out, a lazy smile on his face.    
“Okay! Outdoor rink! What do you say—”   
“A mock competition?” Yuuri finished with a half smile. They all looked stunned, except Phichit who couldn’t pick himself off the ice because he was laughing too hard.    
“You weren’t very subtle.” He could feel the blood rising in his cheeks. “Even with Phichit trying to distract me with dancing.”   
   
JJ laughed. “Okay, yes. I’ll pay for the winner’s dinner!” He winked and held up his phone. “I have your old free skate music here Yuuri. Think you can do it?”   
Yuuri’s mouth went dry. His free skate? The one he bombed?   
“Is… something else okay?” He hoped that they would agree to let him do something, _anything_ else.   
“Yuuri!” Phichit cried and hugged him. “Did you make a new routine?”   
Yuuri smiled sheepishly. “Yes… I couldn’t really stop.”   
“Right! Show me? I’ll get the music.” JJ leaned over to look at his phone.   
Yuuri handed it over while Phichit questioned him about what his new program entailed. Leo and Guang Hong seemed oddly serious texting back and forth, but they all made their way to the rink slowly.    
   
“Okay! Hey everyone in the rink!” JJ waved his arms. “Is it okay if we do a little show for everyone?” There was some murmuring and slow emptying as people watched curiously. Yuuri felt his heart beating faster. A show? Could he really do this?   
“You can do it,” Leo informed him cheerfully. “Take some time to calm down first, okay?” He grinned and stepped into the rink. JJ took out the speaker from his pocket and replaced the batteries before looking at Leo.    
“Hit it!”   
   
Yuuri smiled as Leo came alive on the ice.    
JJ grinned. “I bet our coaches will have our heads for this later.”   
Yuuri shrugged. “It’s practice. We warmed up properly.”   
“Loudest applause wins,” JJ murmured as Leo took a bow at the end and exited looking high as a kite.    
“It’s so different when everyone’s so close!”   
JJ laughed and clapped him on the back.    
   
Yuuri barely caught Phichit’s wink at JJ before he took to the ice next. Yuuri had never seen Phichit perform like that. His body practically sang with the music. He remembered the days in Detroit where they would just watch that film over and over again.    
“Sorry, I’m going to go and blow him out of the water okay?” JJ grinned at all the screams that erupted from Phichit’s performance.    
JJ however, was the first one that had screams going onto the ice.    
“Jean! Je t’aime!” Someone cried. JJ blew them a kiss. Yuuri saw Phichit‘s hands clench for a moment before relaxing.    
“Yuuri!”   
Yuuri nodded and hit play. Leo was right, somehow it was far more entrancing being right in front of the performance. It was so different compared to the indoor rinks.    
   
“Yuuri, you’ll go last, you okay?”   
Yuuri nodded, still entranced by the music and the atmosphere. No one knew who he was. He could be himself here where there were no scores.    
   
He barely noticed Guang Hong’s skate, still riding off the high from JJ’s performance and the screams. He was fairly certain Phichit was laughing about it for a while until he skated off for something. Yuuri was curious, but was more drawn to Guang Hong’s movements. He must be tired if he was doing his short program instead. Although, Leo had done his short too. Perhaps it was just that JJ and Phichit were showing off.    
“Good luck!” Guang Hong was a little breathless as he offered a high five, which Yuuri took.   
   
He felt like a bundle of nerves now. He was almost certain his legs were shaking. They had drawn quite the crowd now. He barely made it through the first few jumps, the faces blurring in front of him until there was only one person in front of him, skating his program with him. One person he knew. He opened his mouth, then shut it as Victor guided them into a synchronized spread eagle. His face grew hot and he could only see Victor now, and Victor’s eyes never left his own frame.    
   
It was clunky for the first few moves, until they figured out a system and the program began to evolve right up to the end. Yuuri felt breathless. Although it looked like Victor was just as winded.    
“Wow. You are full of surprises aren’t you?” Victor grinned. The crowd around them erupted in cheers and Yuuri just wanted to hide.    
   
“It’s okay,” Victor soothed. “It’s about time for dinner yes?” He called. JJ sighed and slumped before giving them both an exasperated smile. Yuuri looked down. Victor still hadn’t let go of his hand. Victor glanced at him and winked. “We have a lot to talk about after all!”   
Yuuri covered his face with one hand as they left the rink and people streamed back in, all chattering about the skating.”   
“I’ll get you for this,” he hissed at Phichit as they passed. Phichit gave him an innocent look that had them both laughing and everyone else confused.    
   
“Ah!” Yuuri turned to face Victor. Why was he still holding his hand? “Why are you here, Victor?”   
Victor looked up at the sky and hummed. “I ran into a snag thinking about my future, but a little birdie had a suggestion.”   
“Plus I already bought your tickets then,” Phichit added. “It was just easier this way. I didn’t think he’d join in though! Sorry!”   
Victor laughed. “I have to surprise people! But I didn’t think you had that much in you, Yuuri. Is it all nerves?”   
   
Yuuri nodded. The pressure led to nerves and nerves led to pressure.    
“Well! If you’re willing to pair with me, we can work on that!” Yuuri’s mouth dropped. Pair skating? _With Victor Nikiforov?_    
“In the meanwhile,” Victor smiled and turned so Yuuri was looking straight into his eyes. “Look only at me, and I’ll only look at you and everything will be fine!”   
   
Yuuri felt like the world just fell at his feet. He stared at Phichit, who had this strange almost longing smile. He looked at his feet for a moment before he squeezed Victor’s hand.    
“I… I’m willing to try,” he mumbled.    
“Perfect!” Victor cried. Yuuri sighed at the dramatics, but didn’t miss the fleeting, hopeful smile on Victor’s face.    
   
“Now, what was this about JJ treating us?” Victor grinned. JJ started cursing and the banter picked right up. Yuuri stared at the ice and smiled, mouthing a small thank you. He had thought he was done with the ice, the same as Victor. But the ice wasn’t done with them yet.

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't really have a particular reason to keep Vicchan alive but well... I wanted to. This story made me want to go back so much. The only fudged part from my memory is the outdoor rink on the canal (but I think that there is one that is on the ice somewhere, but not at the lake), otherwise this is all based on a real place and my memories.
> 
> I have no idea how I ended up shipping JJ and Phichit in this. It just... happened while I was writing and imagining them plotting this all together.


End file.
